Hampton Court Palace
Although most European Royal Families possessed family members amongst their ranks who were on the “royal fringe,” few have had as many colorful quasi - royal individuals in their midst as the British Royal Family.
Existing on same the stage, as their more royal & exalted brethren, these “relative royals” lived their lives just outside of the spotlight. Usually only seen when they were lined up on the balcony for the traditional wave to the masses during one of the larger more important family occasions, such as a royal wedding, a jubilee, or the sovereign’s birthday.
Towards the end of the 19th century and well into the mid 20th century, the House of Windsor was chockablock with just this sort of family surplus. Queen Victoria ’s brood had expanded into a royal population explosion by this time, with many branches of the royal family tree firmly rooted in the United Kingdom
With so many princesses settling at home with their foreign or local husbands and not to mention the surplus royal sons of the sovereign, all poised to raise future generations of royal kinder, a solution had to be found with which to accommodate and house all these home grown princelings.
A capital solution was found with the awarding of “grace and favour” homes! Such situations were typically residential property owned by the Crown and thus the gift of the monarch by virtue of their position as head of state and leased rent-free to persons in gratitude for past services rendered. It is rumored that the term possibly crept into English through the writings of Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote of advisors who 'ministri per grazia e concessione’ - which has been translated as 'ministered through grace and favour'.
In the United Kingdom
In reference to the high concentration of collateral royals, Prince Charles once described Kensington Palace
Below you will find listed a selection of semi-royal abodes, along with the “royal fringe” inhabitants that called them home.
Cumberland Lodge
Home Of Prince & Princess Christian Of Schleswig-Holstein
Daughter & Son-In-Law Of Queen Victoria
Prince Christian
Princess Helena
Brantridge Park
Home Of Princess Alice, Countess Of Athlone
& The Earl Of Athlone
Granddaughter Of Queen Victoria
Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl Of Athlone
Formerly, Prince Alexander Von Teck
Princess Alice, Countess Of Athlone
Barton Lodge
Home of Sir Henry & Lady Mary Abel Smith
Great Granddaughter Of Queen Victoria
Sir Henry & Lady Mary Abel Smith
Carisbrooke Castle
Home Of Princess Beatrice
Daughter Of Queen Victoria
Princess Beatrice & Her Children
Thatched House Lodge
Home Of Princess Alexandra Of Kent, Lady Ogilvy
& Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy
Granddaughter Of King George V
Princess Alexander Of Kent & Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy
Claremont House
Home Of Prince Leopold, Duke Of Albany
& Princess Helene, Duchess Of Albany
Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Victoria
Prince Leopold, Duke Of Albany
Princess Helene, Duchess Of Albany
White Lodge
Home To Princess Mary Adelaide Of Cambridge
& The Duke Of Teck
Granddaughter Of King George III
Parents Of Queen Mary
Duke Franz Von Teck
Princess Mary Adelaide Of Cambridge, Duchess Of Teck
Bagshot Park
Home Of Prince Arthur, Duke Of Connaught
& Princess Luise, Duchess Of Connaught
Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Victoria
Home Of Prince Edward, Earl Of Wessex
& The Countess Of Wessex
Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Elisabeth II
Prince Arthur, Duke Of Connaught
Princess Luise, Duchess Of Connaught
Prince Edward, Earl Of Wessex
& The Countess Of Wessex
Eastwell Park
Home Of Prince Alfred, Duke Of Edinburgh
& Princess Marie, Duchess Of Edinburgh
Son & Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Victoria
Prince Arthur, Duke Of Edinburgh
Duke Of Saxe-Coburg Und Gotha
Princess Marie, Duchess Of Edinburgh
Duchess Of Saxe-Coburg Und Gotha
Frogmore House
Home Of Princess Victoria, Duchess Of Kent
Mother Of Queen Victoria
Princess Victoria, Duchess Of Kent
St. James Palace
York House
London Residence Of
Prince Henry, Duke Of Gloucester
& Princess Alice, Duchess Of Gloucester
Son & Daughter-In-Law Of King George V
Prince Henry, Duke Of Gloucester
& Princess Alice, Duchess Of Gloucester
Hampton Court Palace
Home Of Princess Friederike Of Hanover,
Baroness Von Pawel-
& Baron Alfons von Pawel-
Great Granddaughter Of King George III
Princess Friederike Of Hanover
Baroness Von Pawel-
Kensington Palace
"The Aunt Heap!"
Princess Margaret, Countess Of Snowdon
Daughter Of King George VI
Victoria, Marchioness Of Milford Haven
Born Princess Of Hesse Und Bei Rhine
Granddaughter Of Queen Victoria
Grandmother Of Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh
Diana, Princess Of Wales
Wife Of Prince Charles, Prince Of Wales
Daughter-In-Law Of Queen Elisabeth II
Prince & Princess Michael Of Kent
Grandson Of King George V
Anmer Hall
Home Of Prince George, Duke Of Kent
& The Duchess Of Kent
Grandson Of King George V
Prince George, Duke Of Kent
& The Duchess Of Kent
Royal Lodge
Home Of Prince Albert, Duke Of York, Later King George VI
& The Duchess Of York, Later Queen Elisabeth
Son & Daughter-In-Law Of King George V
Home Of Prince Andrew, Duke Of York
Son Of Queen Elisabeth II
Prince George, Duke Of York
& The Duchess Of York
Queen Elisabeth, The Queen Mother
Prince Andrew, Duke Of York
Home Of Prince Edward, Prince Of Wales
Later King Edward VIII
Son Of King George V
Home Of The Hon. Gerald Lascelles
Grandson Of King George V
Prince Edward, Prince Of Wales
King Edward VIII
Hon. Gerald Lascelles
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